Illusion
by HeroInTraining
Summary: Teachers are supposed to be strong. Professor Nikki Storm usually is. But when she learns about the death of someone close to her, reality as she knows it starts to unravel, as with someone else with the power to do something about it. When she wakes up, Nikki thinks she's a trained killer with a passion for humans. The hands of fate move forever away from her favor...
1. Burning Death

Illusion  
Burning Death

Sweat glistens on my face and drips down my back. My blue and yellow uniform sticks to my skin. Sentinels fly everywhere attempting to destroy my friends. Lasers narrowly miss our bodies. Punches are thrown. People who can't fly are tossed into the air and left to catch themselves any way they can. I try to focus on the sparkling energy covering their most powerful weapons, but my concentration slips. There are too many that need my help more than the offense. Thankfully Storm, the Goddess of Weather, blasts the lasers with lightning. Normally this would be a piece of cake, but we are trying to incorporate everything we've taught our students while making what we're doing obvious. That way they can't say they didn't learn anything.

When the last Sentinel's head falls to the floor, Cyclops calls out, "End simulation. Good work people."

Colors melt away, revealing the spotless room we tend to call the Danger Room. We walk to the staircase leading to the Danger Room controls where our students watch our training with Charles Xavier. Rather, supposed to watch.

"What did you learn today?" Banshee asks the pupils as we enter the room. He closes the door, blocking the only exit route. No one can be so desperate to get out of it they'll make a run for it. We make sure of that.

No one speaks for a moment. Then Kitty Pryde offers, "Take out the most powerful weapon first, teamwork benefits everybody, and utilize your teammate's strengths."

"Almost the exact way I phrased it in class," I congratulate her. "Do you all agree?" Some nod; others give no sign of hearing my question. It seems like they've never been in my class at all. That's the problem with working with kids. Specifically, teenagers.

"All right, class dismissed," Xavier announces. He motions for me to stay behind. "I think I've found a way to encourage them to pay attention," he tells me.

"Really?" I sound dubious. "We've already tried everything we could think of. They seem to learn best when there's a threat, but there's no way we're going to release Magneto."

Xavier laughs. "I was thinking something along the lines of…bonuses."

"Is this what you mean? Most of them are studying to join the X-Men, so they might see this as an added perk. How about…a special trip every few months to keep them focused?"

"Exactly. Thank you for your suggestion. I'll talk this over with Jean and Scott later. Do you mind telling Danielle?"

"Of course not, Professor." I follow him out of the room. We separate when I go into a side room, the teacher's lounge, for a cup of coffee. I open the door and, unsurprisingly, discover my fellow X-Man, teacher, and close friend Danielle Ribbons. "Don't you usually meditate in your room, Dani? Opps, I mean Contact," I say playfully.

Dani lowers herself gently to the floor. Her crossed legs unfold as the unearthly glow around her fades. "Nikki Storm, you know we only call each other by our codenames on the field. Do I call you Illusion during a greeting?" she scolds me for what feels like the 100 time.

"Sorry," I mumble. More loudly, I say, "Anyway, Xavier thought of a way to help the kids. If they pay attention in class and actually learn something, we take them out on a field trip. Arcline, Dazzler, and Jubilee can give us discounts to their concerts. Whatever teens think is cool nowadays. You like it?"

"That sounds like it might work. Count me in. If you must know, I was meditating in here because your Danger Room sessions always take at least an hour, so I had time." Her cell phone rings, ending our conversation. She rushes over to her purse resting on a table. "Hi, Danny," she answers the call. Her husband lives with their young daughter Jordan in a nearby apartment. Even though Dani can teleport home in a second, she chooses to live here during the week.

"The two Danny's talking to each other yet again," I tease. I find it hilarious that both her nickname and her husband's name are the same. What a coincidence. I halt my teasing when her smile disappears.

"Oh no. I'll be right over. Tell her Mommy's coming. Goodbye." The lid shuts with a snap. "Nikki, can you tell the professor I'm going home? Jordan's having contractions again."

"No worries. You better hurry home, Jordan needs you," I assure her. A look of relief crosses her face before she vanishes in a small puff of sparkly smoke. It dissolves quickly. I make my coffee and throw some clothes over my skintight leotard. When I finish, I leave to find Professor Xavier, who is talking with Phoenix and Cyclops in his study. I wait for them to finish before speaking. "Professor, Contact went home. Her daughter was having issues again."

He sighs. "Very well. I'll send out a message saying class in canceled." Xavier closes his eyes and raises a hand to his temple. "There, her students know. I keep telling her to bring Jordan in, but she refuses to let her anywhere near this place. Jordan may not be a mutant, but she is the daughter of one of our senior members. She would be left alone under my commands. Maybe Danielle will listen to me now," he mumbles to himself.

"Professor, I'm sure Dani has her reasons. We have to respect them. If she wants to leave Jordan at home, it's her choice. We can't change it," I tell him. With that, I leave the room to prepare for my next class. When I open the door, I discover my students have already filled every available seat and the floor. This is my largest class by far, the one with new mutants that have recently joined the school. They still have little to no control over their powers. This one usually proves to be pretty interesting. It's funny to see them try, but I can't admit that. It doesn't help some of them aren't much younger than me. In fact, in some of my advanced classes, I'm teaching people older than me, maybe even twice my age. Really, really weird. "Good afternoon, class. Sorry I'm late. Professor Ribbons had to leave unexpectedly…" I trail off. The telepath in the room, Rachel Grey, makes a short slideshow flash through my cranium. It shows most of them have no idea what I'm talking about. True newbies.

"Excuse me, Professor Storm, but who is Professor Ribbons?" an eight-year-old girl with jet-black pigtails named Jasmine asks.

"Please, Jasmine, when Xavier isn't here address me as Miss Storm," I instruct her, everybody else included. "As for your question, Professor Danielle Ribbons has been here a few years and has a husband and daughter. Neither are mutants. Her daughter Jordan, being the child of a powerful mystic, has recently been having medical issues. She's having some now; that's why Professor Ribbons left. Eventually you will join her class. Right now you may be in one of the lowest classes, but over time you will gain control. Professor Ribbons teaches correct power usage and advanced calculus. You will have her for one of those subjects."

Rachel answers everybody's mental questions. "My sister told me about her. She said you have to be scary talented to pass."

"That may or may not be true. It all depends on your abilities and brainpower. Otherwise, you have a head start. Today we'll explore the basic fundamentals of control." I begin teaching control methods that work for all powers. Then I narrow it down to common groups: telepath, strength and speed, flight, elements, and shape shifting. Most are taught through experience. Those that aren't are downloaded from Xavier's head. Of course there is no "Teaching Mutants for Dummies." When I finish, I tell them, "Your homework is to use some of these methods over the weekend. Next class we'll learn some for more unique abilities!" They hurriedly exit the room before I finish speaking. Thank God there is only one class left before the weekend, though they are more advanced. Effectively much harder to teach.

"Good afternoon, Miss Storm," an infectious voice greets me.

"Hi, Cupid," I call over my shoulder. Cupid is a senior member, almost ready to graduate. Jessica loves Greek mythology, so she made her name the God of Love's. Her powers all involve love, so it's a suitable name. "Are you prepared for Monday's Danger Room session?" I ask her.

Cupid smiles mischievously, like she is hiding something. Her pink eyes sparkle. "You bet. I've been practicing some new moves with Energy Drainer and Persuasioner. They might surprise you."

"Just wait and see," I say as the rest of my students enter. I ask them the same question.

Choruses of "Heck yeah!" and "Of course!" ring around the room.

"All right, today you have it easy, it will just be a review. If you do well Monday you'll have a better chance of being selected for non-school related missions. Take out your homework." I walk around the room, checking their strategy papers. As I finish, I say, "Time for a test. If you finish early you can practice some of the strategies you found for homework." I sit down at my desk, grading quizzes for Dani. While doing so I use my powers to fold the leftover metal chairs. When all the chairs are folded, I hear a faint, familiar voice.

"Her room is right down this hallway," my sister tells her anxious son Franklin. A few seconds later Franklin races into the room with Susan trailing close behind holding baby Valeria. "I see you've found it," she smiles, though it looks forced.

"Hey, Franko!" I bend down to pick him up. "Guys, this is my sister Susan and her children Franklin and Valeria." Immediately everybody looks up from his or her test, eager for a distraction.

Valeria waves while Franklin says hello. "Aunt Nikki, you're funny. That's what Uncle Johnny used to call me," Franklin comments. He stares into my eyes, expecting me to laugh or make some other sign of recognition.

Instead, my grin fades as my gaze strays to Sue's face. Her blond hair is unkempt and her blue eyes appear saddened. "What does he mean, 'used to call me?'" Johnny is not the type of person to suddenly change his ways. That's for sure.

Sue motions for me to go out to the hallway. I follow her, closing the brown wooden door behind me. "Nikki," she begins, "Johnny has…moved on to a better place. He was fighting Mystique. Before the cops showed up and arrested her, Mystique got in a lucky shot. The paramedics did everything they could. In the end, it killed him."

Tears leak out of my eyes at the news, creating dark blotches on my leafy green top and jeans. "Why?" I choke out before crumpling to the floor. I imagine my sobs seeping under the door, frightening my students, but I can't control them. Johnny is more than my brother, he is my closest friend. He's the one that got me started as Illusion. The one that made my life the way it is now. "Why?" I choke out again.

"There, there," she tries anyway. She helps me stand up and supports my body as I weep into her shoulder.

Jean Grey strolls down the hallway. She notices me standing there, crying, and asks, "What's wrong?"

"Our brother," Sue answers for me, unable to finish the sentence, her voice thick with tears of her own. I'm surprised she can speak at all.

"Here, let me take over your class. Just think of what I should do," she offers, her voice full of sympathy.

I nod, not trusting myself to talk. Jean goes into the classroom, explains why she is there, and uses her psychic powers to read my mind. _They're taking a test_, I explain. _Tell them when they finish they can practice using the strategies they found for homework. _I hear her say so and allow Sue to lead me to the main room. Until the bell rings, signaling 3:00, I continue to have a private meltdown. As soon as the bell stops ringing, children pour down the grand staircase dressed in full baseball gear. No matter what, we always have a baseball game every Friday afternoon. Storm keeps the weather under control. In a world full of fighting, it's a nice way to unwind. I glance up, searching for Xavier, aiming to talk with him. I spot him wheeling himself out of the small classroom where he teaches a few select students at a time.

"Nikki, you look like you watched your best friend perish. What happened?" Xavier wants to know.

"You're not far off, Professor. It's just… my brother died. I'll be gone next week for his funeral. Just wanted to let you know," I explain, sniffling. Just thinking about Johnny's death brings a fresh wave of tears. They pour out in bucketfuls, thickening the black stream of mascara running down my face.

"At this rate, seniors have to graduate early," he comments. "All right, you may leave. Someone will fill your position as well as Danielle's."

"Thank you, Professor!" I call out as I dash up the stairs towards my bedroom. My pupils will be disappointed when they learn the Danger Room session is postponed, but they'll get over it. I yank out the contents of my closet, searching for my baseball uniform. Quickly I toss my regular clothes and costume on my bed while pulling on my baseball shirt. While doing so I rub my eyes to stop any stray tears and wash the makeup from my face. I take a shortcut to the ball field by jumping out the window. Having powers means I can do it without injury. The quick free-fall dries the last of my tears.

"Isn't that Miss Storm?" Energy Drainer wonders when I land on the grass.

Right before I hit the ground I create a trampoline. "Did I miss anything?"

"We were deciding who should sit out. With Contact gone there's an uneven number," Cyclops explains.

Sue stands up from her seat on a bench. "I'll play," she offers, forever a good sport.

"Great, you can play on Scott's team," I order her. "Let the game begin!" We get situated. Nightcrawler steps up to bat as I inform Psylocke about the Danger Room cancellation. "Don't worry; we'll do it later in the week when I return." Her response is shoving me towards the heap of bats and helmets. I take it she is excited about the session. I swing a few times before taking the correct stance. _Maybe I can act like nothing's wrong,_ I think as Jean warms up. I struggle to look like everything is normal.

Before pitching, Jean calls out to the outfielders, "Back up! She can hit hard!"

The rules Jean devised don't allow power usage, so a person can't run faster than normal around the diamond or guide the ball. After two strikes, the third pitch flies perfectly across the plate. I swing, scoring a grand slam. During my jog around the diamond I put on a watery smile for Sue, wave to Franklin and Valeria sitting at the sidelines, and join my teammates. Rogue strikes out and Cupid hits an out, so we switch.

After an hour or so, Scott's team admits defeat. We shake hands before going inside. Faking a normal happy-go-lucky attitude is exhausting, not to mention being all sweaty. So I decide to spend the rest of the afternoon in the pool/spa. Sue will stay overnight in my room, with Franklin on the couch and her and Val sharing my oversized king bed with me. Our first chance to talk occurs in the spa while Pyslocke, who I know I can trust, watches the kids. As soon as I close and lock the door behind us my façade disappears. Tears threaten to cascade down my cheeks yet again. My lip quavers as I try to stop them. Some fall anyway and wet my towel, the steam making the rest evaporate. Sue notices and attempts to take both our minds off our departed brother. Better for the both of us.

"So, how's your training?" she asks.

A faint smile replaces my frown. Even the teachers train on a daily basis. The majority of the teachers and staff members are full-time X-Men, so we practice almost as much as the students. Staying in tip-top shape is most important, next to improving our powers. "Pretty good," I answer. "Xavier has been working with those he deems most powerful and is helping them reach their full potential. He already taught me how to make atoms inside of things explode. According to him I have one of the most powerful minds on the planet. My powers have also sparked some discussion, considering they're so unique."

"Doesn't Dazzler have powers similar to yours?"

"Sort of; before she left Xavier studied her extensively. I must be special; he hasn't shown this much interest in Iceman or Contact, some other people showing great promise."

"Interesting."

From then until we exit the spa we don't speak. The silence somehow feels comforting. When we go into the bathroom to change into swimsuits I end the silence. "Did Franklin exhibit any powers yet?" Usually the child of two super-powered parents will obtain powers sometime in their life. If the genetics are lined up, of course.

"No, but Reed thinks he'll have very strong abilities eventually," Sue's voice carries over the stall door. She doesn't mention the problems he caused when she was pregnant with him. Since her, Reed, Ben, and Johnny received their powers from a cosmic storm, Sue's body couldn't handle the changes that come with the making of a child. Ben, Reed, and Johnny had an adventure in the Negative Zone to save her. They almost died. I did not even find out that last part until several days later, since Magneto was threatening world domination again. That man thinks it important to challenge Earth's superheroes daily. Valeria caused much less trouble. We unlock the doors and make our way to the pool. After a while Toad walks in, announcing dinner. We quickly change and gather any stragglers. Delicious scents waft down the hallway, probably coming from Gambit's French cuisine.

"Mmm, I love French cooking!" Sue exclaims.

Most people however edge away from the dining hall when they discover the meal. Gambit's cooking does not sit well with non-French people, which is pretty much everybody. Something he uses isn't appealing. Nobody speaks most of the time, asking for condiments the only exception. If everybody feels the same as me, then the reason why they're not speaking is if they do, they will throw up. The minute the last bite of food disappears from the last person's plate, everybody jumps up from his or her seats. I can tell the refrigerator will be empty by morning.

"Come on, Rogue. Bet you can't beat me at that video game again!" Iceman tells her.

Everybody goes their own ways. I lead the Richards' to one of the living rooms. With the kids distracted by the TV, Sue and I can finally have a decent conversation. We catch each other up to speed, telling stories about past adventures and my single status. Sue finds it hilarious that such a pretty young woman does not have a boyfriend. True, my long almost black brown and blond hair and aquamarine eyes attract tons of stares, but I haven't found anybody worthy enough. I believe in the saying looks aren't everything. Call me what you may, but shallow will never work.

Valeria yawns a few hours later, signaling bedtime. We change into pajamas and climb into bed. Sue tells Franklin and Val a story. When her story ends, I silently cry myself to sleep. A short while later I awake to screams. A huge battle is happening before my eyes. _Are those heroes?_ I wonder. People who, under any other circumstances, would not be fighting each other are punching their faces in. I attempt to separate the two nearest heroes, but the ghostly version of me does no good. The Sentry and Spider-Man still fight. Not only Spider-Man and Sentry, but Translate and Baton. Lightmaster and the Pink Rose. The Human Torch and Ms. Marvel. Wait. Is that really Johnny? How can he be alive? Why would he be fighting the same woman he took out for drinks last week? There is no possible way that this is happening. This must be a dream.

"Might as well give up, Steve," Iron Man interrupts my pondering. He pins Captain America against a crumbling building right next to me.

"No!" a voice cries out. A blob of sparkling blue energy hits Iron Man's shoulder. The person who sent the energy reveals herself, melting out of the shadows of a flower shop. She has black and sky blue hair and nervous green eyes. She appears to be no older than 13. Her black costume is torn in numerous places. The sky blue insignia on her chest is splattered with red, probably from a chest wound. A huge chuck of skin is missing from her stomach. Just gone, leaving nothing but some muscle and an energy Band-Aid to keep her stomach in place. A bright glow blinds me, making me squint, trying to see past the glare. I'm only able to because I do that to protect my identity from certain beings. Surprisingly she reminds me of myself. She has the same eyes that show a deep sadness as I do and similar facial features.

"So, you're the traitor," Iron Man sneers. "Eventually you will pay."

The girl retorts, explaining just how Tony is the one at fault. A hand plate glows, firing up to finish the job. Before he can, Cap tackles Iron Man, saving the girl. No sooner than they fly off does Magneto show up. How bad can someone's luck be? Suffering through devastating injuries only to be confronted by the Master of Magnetism. Erik's mouth moves, his words lost in the sounds of battle, then flings the girl through the air. My instincts are screaming for me to help, to put Lensherr out of business. The rational part realizes my powers will do nothing to stop him. To make matters worse, a woman encrusted with jewels spots her and fires gems. That coupled with a random shadow compact knocks her into the building. I take a tentative step forward to see what happens. All is still for a moment. Then some of the rubble begins to move. She emerges, but the little weight she rests against the column is enough for it to collapse on her.

Cap ends up near the flower shop again. He eyes the building and somehow realizes the girl is trapped. He only has time to move a few pieces before someone comes flying his way, but as he thrusts his shield up, he mutters, "Tony, you've been warned. No one hurts my girl without paying for it."

The scene fades to blackness, then to brightly colored spots dancing on my eyelids. They jolt open a few seconds later. When they do, I involuntary start screaming my head off, waking the others.

"Nikki, what's wrong?" Sue sleepily yells over my screams.

"Nothing, just a nightmare," I pant. Sue does not need to know the truth. The truth is when the building fell on Rebel, I felt her pain. Now that I think about it, I've already felt excruciating pain at random times for no reason. Xavier told me the source is my powers, but he seems to be hiding something. I did not think anything of it at the time, but now I know he's keeping something from me. This can't be a coincidence. This girl has the same basic powers as me, and she was living in some sort of Civil War for gosh knows how long. There is something suspicious going on here, and I need to figure out what.

Sue makes me lay in bed for a while longer. By now she must think I've gone completely insane. Finally she lets me get up for breakfast. Angel pays his condolences while I prep pancakes. We eat slowly, each person lost in their thoughts. When we finish Sue and I wash the dishes before I run upstairs to pack my bag.

"Where you goin', girlie?" Wolverine asks as he descends the staircase.

I set down my duffel bag on the carpeted floor. "I'm going home for my brother's funeral, Logan."

"You're not sayin' somethin'. Cough it out, Nikki," he orders me. I often forget Logan knows me better than everyone else on the team. When I first joined he thought I was cute and reminded him of someone from his past. I clung to him, and he helped me pass the classes and even get me a job. Without Logan I would be trapped inside the Baxter Building while everyone else is out fighting for their lives.

"After the funeral, I'm going to hunt down Mystique. I'll avenge Johnny even if it kills me," I declare. Before I can say more Sue ushers me to her Mercedes with her kids in tow. She turns on the radio to banish the silence. The first song that comes on is "Only the Good Die Young." "How ironic," I sigh, settling into my seat.

o8o

"Kids, we're home!" Sue calls out hours later. She parks the car in the garage next to Johnny's old Corvette. No specks of dust or water stains. Exactly the way I remember it. Sue assists Franklin and Val with their seatbelts as I carry in the bags.

"Home sweet home," I mutter. The last time I visited here was Val's birth during the '09 Christmas season, so it no longer smells like peppermint and baking cookies. The same paintings and pictures hang on the walls. Each floor that is special to somebody has pictures that tell their life story. Sue wanted to convey our family history creatively, and indeed she did.

The floor with Reed's lab has pictures that date back to when he and Sue first met. They progress to the space flight, displaying their powers [thank God I was not included; since I was born a mutant, the storm just made me seriously ill], their wedding, Franklin's and Val's birth's, and our first encounter with Galactus and the Silver Surfer. "Where're my brother-in-laws?" I call out, my voice echoing through the empty room. Even though I'm not related to Reed's best friend and fellow Fantastic Four member by blood, we consider Ben part of the family. What's not to love about the big fella?

"Nikki, you've returned," Reed greets me as he enters the room. "How long has it been? Four months? Five?"

"Two years, genius," I smile. The presence of my brother-in-law helps lift my gloomy spirits a little. Reed still appears to be so absorbed in his work he doesn't pay much attention to time. I rush over to him and grasp his neck for a hug. "I have so much to tell you. Where's Ben?" I ask, wondering where Ben Grimm, A.K.A. the Thing, is hiding.

"He's out on some New Avengers business," he answers. "They needed a rock-covered clobbering machine. He'll be back in a couple of days." Reed leads me to his cluttered desk.

We stay up late into the night talking, finally going to bed around two am. I crash on the couch, not feeling like sleeping in a dusty bed. Sunday morning I wake up early, eat breakfast, and decide to take a trip down memory lane by going through the contents of my sleeping quarters. The section housing our rooms has my life story. The pictures start with my adoption, then continue to my developing powers, numerous silly poses with Johnny, becoming a teacher, shaking hands with various well-known superheroes, and holding my niece and nephew. Sue is proud to display my accomplishments with the public. She knows the secretary gives tours of the building when the Fantastic Four are in other dimensions. As long as citizens don't touch anything, she's okay with it. Otherwise the only people that can enjoy her work are us.

Most of the furniture is covered with sheets. However, my bed has clean blankets and the paintings and posters are sparkling. _Wow, Sue must think I could come home at any minute,_ I think blissfully. I shuffle across the floor, remembering all the happy times that had been made. Everything is where I left it, not a thing out of place. Sue finds me later, calling me to lunch. I spend the rest of the afternoon playing with Valeria and Franklin. The night my sleep is riddled with nightmares of the girl and several other females going by the names Reality, Lightshow, Hallucination, and Freedom Fighter. Again, all of them are so much like me it's scary. Those dreams coupled with Johnny's funeral leave me feeling queasy all morning. We leave for the funeral in early afternoon. All of our allies showed up with our closest friends. Ben even came back early to honor Johnny's memory. However, a good portion of the X-Men and the Avengers are gone.

"Are you okay, Nikki?" Contact asks as I start to go pale an hour into the outdoor service.

"I'm fine, it's just the sun," I answer. Before Dani can turn away, I fall to the ground. In the process of recovering, every thought running through my head vanishes. _What the heck is going on?_ I wonder. Everyone else's faces morph into blank looks. And then the world burns white…


	2. Is This Reality?

Is This Reality?

"Grab your people and go!" I cry, trying to fight off the Sentinels. They attack in swarms. Luke finds Cloak and has him teleport him and the others to safety. I continue to fight off the robots while defending myself. I make some explode while others are disembodied with a chainsaw. One robot's energy blast connects with my shoulder, leaving a deep hole. I let out a cry of pain. Still, I fight, ignoring the blood gushing out of my shoulder. I can easily mend the wound, but I'm concentrating on destroying the robots. One wrong move and I'm finished. When all that's left is a heap of scrap metal, I teleport to Luke's hideout. I have made many friends within his human rebel army, so I visit them often.

"If you want, you can sleep here tonight," Felecia Hardy offers when I enter the building. She brings over a cup of water and the first aid kit.

"Thanks, Felecia. Tomorrow I'll head out for-OW!-news. As soon as I find out what's-OW!-happening with Magneto I'll come back. No idea how-OW!-long it will take." Felecia is bandaging my shoulder wound tightly. The bleeding stops, but it still burns like crazy. All because of that stupid virus. Somehow I was exposed and Elixir couldn't do a thing about it. My slower reaction time, the dark bagsunder my eyes, and sudden loss of power control all make me less of a valued fighter. My fighting skills are the only things keeping me alive. The Legacy Virus is a lot of things. Whoever was messing around the day of its creation should be burned at the stake.

The Legacy Virus, at least the version I have, targets mutants only. It feeds off a mutant's special cells that give them their powers. It destroys the cells slowly, often so slowly it takes years for the deadly disease to take full effect. My case just seems to be an exception. It must be from my juiced-up cells.

"Illusion, here's some food," Danny Rand says. He walks over carrying an apple and a slice of bread.

I gratefully take the food and bite into the apple. I quickly devour the meal. While everybody else eats I brief them on what's going to happen over the next few weeks. Ever since I teamed up the group sees me as its leader. "While I'm gone you should start making a strategy for when we storm Magneto's place. Remember, Polaris has stronger magnetic abilities than Magneto and Quicksilver has his speed, so figure that into the equation. One of them will most likely be protecting Wanda, so you should make a separate team for that. Genosha is home to many powerful mutants, so be prepared. Be sure to think of and account for everything. If you make the slightest mistake, it will mean the death of us all."

"Pressure," Hawkeye snickers. His attempt at humor softens the steely looks on everybody's faces.

I make my way to a cot with blankets, finished with my lecture. I am so tired I forget to create a protective dome around the bed. If you don't, you do not know who will climb into bed with you. Some are desperate for a little "fun," and they do not care what they have to do for it. Only Luke Cage respects other's privacy, because he has a wife who is expecting a child. No amount of training can grant you access to a man's head. And they think women are complicated. I pass out, no longer able to resist the urge to fall asleep. That night disturbing dreams interrupt my deep sleep. Most are memories of tragic events I have previously witnessed or caused, such as the death of my family at the hands of the Red Guard or manslaughter, but some are hazy, like they were erased and are just starting to break through the barriers in my head. I faintly remember doing something [teaching?] at a school. I also remember feeling strong emotions, maybe love or hatred. Something feels odd, so I spend most of the night having my dream self puzzle over the mystery.

Soft snores greet my arrival to consciousness. Hawkeye lies in the limited space that's not taken up by my body. Disgusted, I shove him on the floor. Just because I am starting to develop feelings for him does not mean I want to act on them. Climbing out from under the blanket, I grab a banana and teleport out of the building. My search for new people begins in New York, then onto Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Vermont. Whatever group doesn't have a teleporter has no fear. I simply use my powers to make the human's atoms rearrange themselves so they can move faster than the speed of light. Near the New York border a young girl asks me for directions.

"Excuse me, but where is Hell's Kitchen? I'm looking for Daredevil," the blond-haired youth asks shyly.

"I'm not sure about Daredevil, but I can take you to Hell's Kitchen," I respond. Our hideout is in the heart of the dismal part of New York, the place that most mutants ignore and humans live. I wave my hands over her body, making it dissolve into nothing. She appears a little freaked out, like all the others. I send her to Luke and continue my recruitment search. In the end, over 50 people have been recruited. _Not bad,_ I think as I bathe myself in Lake Erie. Dirt and blood dissolve into the crystal clear water. The bandages on my shoulder fell off days ago. The gash has mostly healed, a scar leaving the only trace of the wound. I wash and mend my clothes as well. When I finish, I teleport back to Hell's Kitchen. Their guard lets me in. Inside, the girl that asked me for directions is telling a story to a few of the others. She seems to be near the end.

"-then the lady brought me here. I don't know what's going on. Please tell me I'm not crazy!" the little girl finishes, sounding thoroughly panicked.

"What's going on?" I ask, breaking the silence.

"Layla here claims that the world isn't supposed to be run by mutants," a woman who calls herself Misty Knight answers.

"Tell her, Layla," another woman, Baton, urges her. "Illusion will listen. Trust me, she's heard worse."

"Okay. My name is Layla Miller and the world isn't supposed to be like this. Mutants are treated like garbage, not royalty. Magneto doesn't rule the world. The famous X-Men make sure he fails. I woke up yesterday and everything was messed up," she explains rather reluctantly.

"Well, you don't hear that every day," I comment, trying to give the tale some meaning. This girl's story is odd, to say the least. Perhaps she works for the enemy? Nah, that can't be it. There would be signs. As I try to untangle my extremely knotted hair, I glance around the room. Everything is the same, the only difference being some new crates of supplies. I walk over to a window, staring outside, doing nothing but thinking. The loud bang of somebody dropping a crate makes me blink. My gaze switches from the deserted, broken down buildings to my reflection. The dark bags under my eyes have gotten darker and my face appears more pinched and drawn. I shiver, and not just because of the cold. At this rate, the Virus will consume my special cells before we can commence our raid.

"Illusion, you OK?" Luke Cage puts his hand on my shoulder.

I spin around, startled by his sudden approach. "Don't worry, I'm fine. Actually, I was thinking we should do a play-by-play of the whole thing so everybody knows what they're doing. This means we need to know what they're doing."

"Good plan." He sits down on a crate next to a larger one and gestures for me to do the same. "The Sons of the Tiger can deal with the guards outside. Baton, Dancecraze, and White Tiger can stay on lookout. Cloak will transport us, and you and Hawkeye can take care of the alarms. Actually, if you don't mind, you'll be everywhere, doing the most important jobs."

"Like what?"

"You will provide cover, help anybody who needs it, and join the offense. The only problem is we can't let Magneto know you're there."

"I know. He's not happy with me; he thinks I'm breaking mutant law. He'll have me executed on the spot."

"Exactly. Though I doubt he would succeed. You have the power to break away from the Red Guard, you have the power to beat up their leader. Well, at least we know what everybody's doing. I'm going to check on some things." Luke stands up and walks away.

I stay put, drawing a visual guide on the crate with my jagged nail. While doing so, a sudden wave of tiredness washes over every corner of my brain. I feel so tired I lay my head on my arms and fall fast asleep, even though I've only been awake for a few hours. Screw you, Elixir. I wake up hours later to realize someone is carrying me to a cot. When my eyelids flutter open for a few seconds I see a flash of purple. Only one man wears that much purple: Hawkeye the archer. I feel a sense of gratitude that he cares enough to carry me to bed. Maybe he is developing feelings for me as well. My eyelids close again, transporting me back to Dreamland. A place where mutants haven't turned me into a hunting dog and I can live the life I want to live.

I awake to shouts, but they do not sound like the Red Guard, a team of mutants who police the planet, are attacking the group. They sound like an argument between Hawkeye and Luke Cage. Keeping my eyes shut might explain why they're fighting, at least for the time being.

"Barton, I told you not to shoot! Now he can't explain his actions!" Cage screams.

"I'm sick of all this mutant garbage! We know Illusion won't betray us, but how do we know any others won't?" Clint gestures around the room with his bow.

"Don't bring Illusion into this, Hawkeye! Without her, we would be dead by now!"

"How in the world can he still be alive?" Barton asks as their captive stands up, completely unharmed.

I decide this is a good time to officially wake up, so I climb off the cot. Every movement is increasingly painful. "I know who he is! He's Wolverine, one of the Red Guard's star members!" I exclaim.

"Hey, Nikki. Wow, you don't look so good. I know ya wanted to die, but the Legacy Virus? What did Wanda do?"

The dark bags under my eyes and hacking coughs make my disease obvious, but I have no idea what this psycho is talking about. "You sound like you know us. We don't know much about you, so you better explain before I force it out of you," I demand.

"Come on, Nikki. The professor said you have one of the strongest minds he's ever seen. Are ya sure you can't remember anythin'?"

"All I know is mutants rule the Earth. Now start explaining, maybe that will help," I answer, crossing my arms against my chest and glaring at him.

"Alright. Before the world went screwy, we were both X-Men, a team of mutants led by Charles Xavier. You were a professor, teachin' kids 'bout their powers and how to control them. I don't know how it is now, but right before the white light, ya learned of your brother's death. You told me you wanted to avenge him or die tryin'. A couple days later, while you were at his funeral, a burning white light filled everybody's minds, erasin' their memories. Two days ago I woke up and everythin' changed. Cage leads the human resistance, and you're a traitor. Half the people in this room are killers, and you the biggest of them all. A big happy family," Wolverine finishes sarcastically. He pauses to let the information sink in.

"What about me?" Hawkeye asks, staring at Wolverine intently, breaking the cold silence. He probably does not believe a word Wolverine just said. "What was I like in this so-called 'reality'? Tell me!"

"The Witch killed ya months ago. Your teammates are still mourning you."

"Bullcrap!" he says angrily, stomping away.

"What about you?" Cage rephrases Clint's question.

"I had these put in me by force." Three shiny metal claws slowly emerge out of his hand. "Now my whole skeleton is coated with adamantium. Coupled with my healin' factor, I'm the ultimate killing machine. Apparently now I'm the Red Guard's number one assassin and hunter of people like you." He points at me.

"Sorry to interrupt, but what's that blinking thing on the back of your neck?" Felicia asks.

"Ya should've taken that out before haulin' me here," Wolverine states. He makes both sets of claws appear; as if he knows something is about to happen. "Incoming!"

Several Sentinels blast through the wall, causing rubble to rain down. "Sapien target identified," they say in cold robotic voices. Damn, those things are persistent.

"Cloak, Illusion, get everybody out of here!" Luke cries. He punches away a hand trying to blast Layla. "Well, what are you waiting for?" he shouts when we hesitate.

Cloak and I leap into action. Ty grabs as many people as he can while I take care of the boxes of explosives. If the explosives go off, we're all kaput. When most people teleport away, I grab Cage and teleport us to Kingpin Towers in downtown Brooklyn. The Baxter Building is visible down the road. For some reason it rings some bells. Everybody else is milling around the top floor. Some people are checking the boxes while others are talking about what has just happened.

"Luke," Ty calls out, rushing over to us. "I grabbed everybody I could, but some were left behind."

"The Sons of the Tiger," I murmur. "Misty Knight."

"Oh, Misty," Cage whimpers. "You'd better be worth this, mutant."

"If ya want to find some mutants that'll fight with you, we can start with Emma Frost," Wolverine offers in an effort to distract us. He tells Ty her address, gathers out best people, and leaves for her house.

Soon after our arrival the front door clicks open. Frost appears, looking shocked when she notices her unexpected visitors. Layla looks just as shocked as her, providing us with something to laugh at. It's almost comical. "What are you doing here?" she demands.

"Do to her what you did to me," Luke tells Layla, giving her a gentle push.

Layla hesitantly steps forward. She stands there, staring into Frost's eyes. After Frost's eyes flash green, Layla stumbles towards us. Hawkeye catches her while Frost collapses into a chair. Must be her powers at work.

"What did I do?!" she cries, sounding thoroughly panicked.

"You're a mutant, kid. Happy birthday," Wolverine smiles.

"I remember everything," Frost says in disbelief. "Me, and you, and you, X-Men, Xavier, co-existence, school…"

"Great, Ems, now ya can help our rebellion against Magneto," states Wolverine.

Frost growls, "Magneto, of course he's the evil mastermind. I'll gladly help you."

"Excuse me, but what is this girl making everybody remember?" I interrupt. Everybody remembering things that aren't true is really grating on my nerves. All I know is the life of a killer, and somehow Frost knows me. And what is this X-Man she speaks of? Were we part of a team or whatever?

Frost steps forward. "It's hard to explain. Layla, how about trying it on Illusion? Maybe it will help."

Layla walks forward in my direction. She draws a shaky breath. Her eyes glow green and floods of memories come out.

"Nikki? Did it work?" Luke inquires.

Before I can answer, a memory too powerful for my weak mind emerges. It causes me to black out, falling into Hawkeye's arms. While unconscious, the memories play through my head like a movie. In one, I stare questioningly into a much younger Sue's eyes. She smiles down at me, assuring me that I have a good family now. Then her face morphs into an older version. I'm older too, because I am taller and more developed.

"Nikki, you have to get out of bed," Sue tells me, shaking my shoulder.

When she tries to pull the covers off I stick my hand out and blast her against the wall. My powers come out in a rather violent way. Other less important memories, such as a wild New Year's Eve party at Avengers Mansion, play through quickly. The last memory I pay attention to, the one that made me black out in the first place, is learning of my brother's death. In what I thought is reality, where mutants dominate, all my family is dead. Mystique killed them when I left the Red Guard. Just the thought of Sue, Reed, and Ben still alive makes me overjoyed. My eyes flutter open. Clint's worried face makes me blink. "How long was I out?"

"Only about five minutes," he answers. "What happened? Before Layla's eyes went green you were fine. Was it the Legacy Virus?"

"The Virus had something to do with it. It's weakened my mind. There was a memory that was too…powerful for me to handle. It's all so…weird. Contradicting everything I know. But thanks for caring." I smile gratefully at him. "Anyway, thanks to my past experiences, there are several mutants who can make up for those we…lost in the Sentinel attack. If we can reach them all today we can do the raid tomorrow," I continue, back to business. According to the memories, this is my "teacher mode." I still doubt the validity of them. They are so unlike my life now there's no way they can be mine. Layla must have made them up on the spot.

"Who?" Emma asks as she leads us down a hallway decorated with pictures of her and her not-really husband Scott Summers. We follow her to a dining room. "On second thought, tell me over lunch. I'll be right back."

Luke, Clint, Danny, and I sit down at the table. Wolverine remains standing. We don't speak as Frost prepares our first hot meal in weeks. After about five minutes, she comes back out carrying a tray loaded with sandwiches and glasses of iced tea. She also brings out a chair for Logan and herself.

"So, what about the people you were talking about earlier?" Frost asks as she sits down.

"Well," I begin, biting into the delicious roast beef sandwich, "The first one I thought of is Plantress. I know her palace is near Paris, so she can be our first stop. I was also thinking of Storm, Contact, Riptide, some of the Red Guard. That is, if they don't order me to kill you."

Danny looks up. "We can split up. We have two teleporters; Cloak and Illusion-"

"Wait, Illusion can teleport?" Frost questions, cutting him off. "Since when?" She glances from me to Luke, then back to me.

"Yep," I answer. "I was with the Red Guard for as long as I can remember having my powers. Being with them is like being in the military. Not to mention all the things they made me complete. But that's a story for another day. Anyway, they taught me how to take my powers to the next level. Besides light fixtures and teleportation, I can heal minor injuries, make things explode with ease, and create realistic holograms. 'Professor Xavier' was trying to teach me that I can only do so much, and he tried to stop me from exploring my powers. Since he's all about pushing us to the limit, I thought something was suspicious. Only now do I realize he placed mental blocks in my mind. They prevented me from going anywhere near my limits. When he said I have one of the most powerful minds on the planet, he was referring to the constant strain my subconscious is putting on the blocks. He's…well…scared of me."

Emma recovers from her shock and suggests who should find who, reading our minds to find out the members of our "club." We finish, and I teleport us to the base. "Don't worry, she's with us," I assure the guards when they reach for their guns. "Save your ammo." In a whisper, I add, "I'm doing the killing around here, thank you very much."

"Beginning to gather more mutants?" one of the guards inquires.

"Yes," I reply. Shooting a grin in his direction, I lead Emma and the others inside. "Luke, can you get everybody's attention?" I'm not feeling strong enough to raise my voice so it can be heard over the din. Baton and Dancecraze, the twins I left in charge, seemed to split up the work. Dancecraze is simultaneously making our plans foolproof and moving some of the heavier objects. Baton is teaching others how to fight: close combat, ranged, and melee attacks. Watching her lessons makes it obvious why she's a leader. She is kind, patient, can hold her own, and knows when to reign in the attitude. I see why she is a valued Avenger, whoever they are. _I just hope Dancecraze doesn't find out she used to be a villain and decides to betray us_.

"People! We have an announcement!" Luke shouts. Everybody pauses a few seconds later and looks at us questioningly. "Thank you. Nikki, go ahead."

"All right. First of all, Grace and Melody will stay in charge while we're out searching for mutants." I talk slightly louder since murmured conversations are being swapped about my previous statement. "Secondly, we will most likely raid Genosha tomorrow, so make sure you're prepared. All those pep talks? Take them seriously. I meant every word. Keep those things in mind, and you're set. Carry on."

The others resume whatever they were doing before I called for their attention. I locate Cloak and walk over to him. "Ty, I need to speak with you for a moment." I lead him to a quiet corner. "I need you to act as a transporter for the other group. If we raid Genosha tomorrow, we need to reach all these mutants today." I hand him a piece of paper with names and addresses Danny collected from a phone book.

Tyrone skims the paper. "I'll check out Spider-Woman, Ice Storm, Translator…" He rattles off about half the list.

"Great. Take whoever you want, but make sure you get back here by tonight at the latest. I want to brief the newbies. Good luck."

"And to you as well. You'll need it," he calls out as he hurries away.

I quickly find Witchcraft, Pinkie, and Bellona. Magic can never hurt, and Bellona's vampiric looks can help with some of the tougher targets. Informing them of my plans, I lead them outside. We begin our mission when I teleport us to France. Our target: Queen Plantress.


	3. Recruits

**Recruits**

****Our bodies materialize in front of intricate silver gates. The gates, which have the letters "AP" weaved into them, lead to a spacious lawn filled with plant**s. **Rareflowers and extinct shrubs grow everywhere. Exotic fruits hang off trees. Not a single blade of grass is out of place. As I open my mouth to speak, I have an abrupt coughing fit. _Oh, please don't let the Virus get worse before tomorrow,_ I plead with myself. After several seconds of straining my lungs, they subside. I shrug off my teammate's concerns with a wave of my hand. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. It's Angelica you should be worrying about. She's powerful without her status, so try not to give her any reason to be suspicious. If you do, we're screwed."

Pinkie cracks her knuckles. "If she resists, do we have permission to use force?"

"No, Pinkie," I sigh as Bellona shoots Pinkie her trademark glare. "If you don't remember, Angelica is the Queen of France. I don't know about you, but I'm fond of living. Especially in these circumstances."

"Fine," she huffs. The expert martial artist flips her long pink hair haughtily over one shoulder. Her attitude reminds me of the Millary twins.

"All right, let's go," I say. I step forward and push against the silver gates, picking the lock on the other side. We walk inside the castle with guards as escorts. Pinkie is seething, since she had to hand over her weapons when we were patted down. "Remember, shut up and don't look menacing. We should be fine." Witchcraft lets out a low whistle when she sees the expensive knick-knacks that line the hallway. I can tell Bellona is considering making off with some of the antiques. I give her a warning glance. Her pitch black eyes look down in shame or amusement. I can't tell, though I'm leaning towards amusement. After traversing the palace, we finally reach the throne room.

"Enter," a commanding female voice orders us when the guard announces our presence.

We go in. Plantress sits on a throne made of vines. Flowers poke out periodically. A red rose rests in her long, wavy white hair. She stares at us with gleaming purple eyes. A dark blue dress and lacy overcoat do little to hide her bulging stomach. She could be proud of it. _So, Plantress finally made a mistake. Now she's pregnant,_ I silently notice. _Why would she want that to happen? _

"Well? Are you going to waste any more of my time, or explain why you're here?" Plantress interrupts my thoughts.

"Oh, um, yes, Your Majesty. My name is Illusion, and we would be eternally grateful if you helped us overthrow Magneto. The raid will be tomorrow. Please, my Queen, assist us. Our actions have the potential to save the planet in ways you can't imagine. Your power will increase and your child will grow up in the most perfect world we can get. We beg you."

The queen thinks for a moment, taking my pleas seriously. Already it's going better than expected. "Alright, I will join you. Magneto's forces have been resisting my threats. This shall be rewarding."

"I speak for everybody when I thank you for your kindness. We will visit several others, so you may come along if you wish."

"Yes, I think I will. You and you, come with me." Plantress points at two of the men standing next to her throne. They walk close behind us as we find our way outside.

We pause in the garden. "Up next is Riptide in Hawaii. We'll try the Cross twins, H2O, Sponge Girl, Power Gem…" Ignoring the blank looks on everybody's faces, I wave one hand over the group and the other over my body. A second later, warn breezes wash over us.

"Ah, Hawaii," Witchcraft sighs contentedly. Palm trees and sandy streets are so much different than the gritty pathways of the underbelly of New York.

"Who is this Riptide?" Plantress asks as I search for the right house.

"She used to be a recruiter, but now she gives surfing lessons. Her power is to control air and water currents," I explain, ringing the doorbell of a modest beach home.

"Yes?" A small, deeply tanned young woman opens the door.

Beating me to the punch, Bellona pleads, "Lani, will you join us in our fight against Magneto? Any help will boost our odds. Please?" She utilizes her full vampire beauty, not giving away any part of our plans. The woman is a master.

"Sure, why not? It's been forever since I've seen some real action. Count me in."

We wait outside as Riptide retreats to her home, presumably to tell her family. She doesn't even realize the oddness of us knowing her name. "That was easy," Witchcraft comments.

"I know. They won't all be this easy, though," I inform them as Riptide hurries back clutching a small bag. Not bothering to ask, I teleport us to California in search of Sponge Girl, H2O, and Mystery. Then we travel to North Dakota, Ohio, and Texas. Out of all the mutants we visit-which, by the way, is a lot-only Contact gives us trouble. She refuses to leave her now healthy daughter. Luckily Mystery uses her illusion powers to convince Contact to join us. To keep from scaring people, she also distorts my appearance, changing my Red Guard uniform to tattered clothes and my features to a battle-worn teen. Honestly, there's not much of a difference. By sundown, I complete my search, much more annoyed than how I started. The more…stubborn mutants made me want to slit their throats. We return to New York, all 60 or so of us, and meet up with the rest of the group.

"Our ranks have swelled from barely 100 people to well over 300," Felecia reports. "Lots came on their own. Why, I have no idea."

_That explains the new faces. Well, I'm gonna be a busy person tonight._ Since these people came willingly, I have to verify them. You never know what can happen. They could be traitors, though I'm not one to talk. Just look at what I've done in my life. "All right, get yourselves situated. You have an hour. Oh yeah," I add, remembering something important, "Introductions. I'll go down the line." The mutants we recruited stand in a line. "First off we have Queen Angelica Puissante, Lani Nightshade, Sandy Yelleo, Lisa Cacoona, Jaylene Que, Gabriella Hawk, Danielle Ribbons, Jessie and Veronica Cross, Sydney von Haarlem…" I prattle off their names. When I finish, they leave and make small talk with the others while I help anybody who needs it. I gather everybody when the hour is up for a meeting. Dancecraze starts.

"Thank you for joining us. The number that is standing before me is staggering. This will surely tip the odds in our favor. Now they are a little less unfair."

"Enough pleasantries," Baton interrupts. "Let's get down to business. As you probably know, tomorrow we're attacking Genosha. Us humans let this go on for way too long. Like my sister said, having so many mutants here will be of a tremendous help. Tonight is our last night to teach you. Learn well."

"That translates to do what they say or face the consequences. Make sure to listen to Illusion. She knows what she's talking about," inputs Luke.

"Why, thank you, Luke!" I say, acting flattered. Losing the happy tone, I continue, "Cloak and I kept short before. Now we'll explain. After all this is over, you may leave if that's what you want. For those of you who'll stay, listen carefully. I won't lie. Not all of you will come home. This is going to be the fight of your life.

"You will follow these guidelines. Genosha is a mutant utopia, so it's heavily guarded and brimming with 'homo sapien superior.' They are all powerful in their own way. These orders that I'm about to give you might save your life. Choose to ignore them, and be picked off first. Your choice." Luke helps me explain our step-by-step plan. When we finish, some people leave (cowards) while the rest mill around or find a place to sleep. Luckily Kingpin Towers is so big. Otherwise we would spill into nearby buildings or the street, all unprotected. _Guess I'll start with Lunar Eclipse,_ I decide. "Excuse me, Brielle!" I call out, finding her amid the masses.

"What do you want?" she demands somewhat haughtily. Two seconds in and she already sounds like Pinkie.

"I just need your name, job, powers, the reason why you came, and a brief backstory."

"My name is Brielle Chloe Tea and I'm a costume designer specializing in masquerade balls. I can make portals to other dimensions, inter-dimensional time rifts, and moon powers. My abilities get stronger during a new moon or an eclipse. The news of your rebellion spread like wildfire. I came to check out your mission. If it sounded interesting, I would stay, so here I am. My parents are scientists. They tried to infuse that love into me, so I ran away, made my own business out west."

"Thank you. Now for Gypsy." On the floor below I find her. Gypsy is huddled in a corner, comforting a baby. My heart melts at the tender scene. Wait, melts? Affection isn't on my short list of acceptable emotions. Start feeling sympathy towards the target, and boom, the job cannot be completed. "Hello, do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions? I'll come back if it's a bad time."

"It's fine," Gypsy replies with a thick Latverian accent. "This is the child of a friend. Now, as you were saying?"

I fire off my list. Unfazed by my flurry of words, she answers, "Jalelou is my name, Honorary Council Member and Warrior, my title. In Latveria, I am the clan's chief spokeswoman and defender. For abilities, I have enhanced speed, strength, and agility. I am trained in the acts of war, hence my title. It is my duty to investigate all major battles, and I believe this will be one. My family begged me to return home, but I think I will participate. When I was not much younger than you I fled my home for America. I made it and discovered a need to stay, even if but for short times. My time is balanced between these mighty countries."

"Great. Do you know if anybody else showed up?"

"Yes, the Santaz family. This is Bella's and Diego's son. Miguel and Rebecca are exploring the tower, Bella is receiving personal instruction from Rogue, and Diego is taking a class with the twins. At least, the last time we crossed paths."

Leaving Gypsy and baby Santaz in the corner, I search for Dark Force and Flame. I enter the elevator and press the button for the roof. On the way up, it stops and opens its door. In come the mutants in question. To my surprise, they are both extremely young to be grandparents, maybe in their late 30s. Don't tell me their kid is a walking screw-up. "Are you the Santaz's?" I ask.

"And you are…" Rebecca replies, ignoring my question.

"Oh, sorry. The name's Illusion, I run the show around here. I need to verify a few things. Both of you, I need your names, jobs, powers, motivations, and brief history."

"Rebecca Living Fire Santaz, sucking in energy from living things, letting it go as fire, Genoshian politician, make sure everything is as it seems to be. Brought up on a reservation, met Miguel on a mission, had Bella young."

"Excuse my wife's rudeness. She only tagged along because Bella wanted to come. Don't worry, I'll send her home if she misbehaves. Anyway, I'm Miguel James Santaz. I can control shadows and shadow matter. The Red Guard recently hired me and Diego. Their ideas haven't rubbed off on us yet. I was a vigilante in Brazil until I met Rebecca. Our marriage and fatherhood convinced me to stop."

"Thanks for your cooperation, Mr. and Mrs. Santaz," I say, staying polite. They exit the elevator at the next floor. I was right. A whole family of screw-ups. _Dark Force better keep Flame on a tight leash. If she tells on us, all this is for nothing,_ I think worriedly. _We've come too far to let someone turn traitor._ I realize that a group this large will attract attention, but Emma is keeping it from Magneto's followers and Wolverine keeps the Red Guard in check. Those of the original group with killer instincts, including myself, ward off anyone nosy. Nothing can stop us now.

Hurrying along, I interview Dark Flame and Dead Speed. They both assure me of Flame's obedience. Still uneasy, I move on to King of the Jungle and Dynamite. Both meet all the requirements. No matter how many questions I ask, an uneasy feeling remains concerning Flame. Her husband and kids say they'll keep her in check, but that's the thing. They are her husband and kids. I may not remember much about family, but I do know loyalty is practically a requirement. _I think that's it with the newbies._ By now, most people have gone to bed. It has to be midnight at least. Only Luke stays up. Overcome by my thoughts, I make my way to a crumbling stone balcony. Maybe fresh air will clear my jumbled thoughts. Hopefully.


	4. Surprise

**Surprise**

****"Nice night," a deep voice comments.

"Oh, it's you," I utter, only a little startled. Alone with my jumbled thoughts, I tend to space out.

The purple archer sits down next to me and places a steaming Styrofoam cup in my hands. He stares at me for a minute, finally making me look up. His baby blue eyes are full of worry and concern. "You okay, Illusion?"

"Nikki," I interject. "My name is Nikki."

"It suits you. Doesn't Nikki mean victory of the people?"

"I think so. My parents must have known I would someday become a mutant leader."

"Maybe. Anyway, are you okay? You've seemed out of it all day. Witchcraft said during the recruitments you seemed weaker. Bellona noticed that every time you used your powers you looked sick. Are you sure you can fight tomorrow?"

"If I don't, the rest of you are as good as dead. Give me some time to rest, I'll be fine."

"There's something you're not telling me. Spit it out."

I sigh. Somehow that line seems familiar. Stalling, I take a long sip of the steamy coffee. "Honestly, I don't know how much longer I'll last. Most of the symptoms are done. When you start losing control of your powers, you're near the end of the line. It's taking all my energy just to keep the Virus from spreading. Teleporting was almost too much. I swear I saw Big Ben and Niagara Falls. And all this stuff about this not being reality, there's no way any of it is true. Just imagine a killer in a school, teaching kids how to use their powers."

"You seem overly fond of describing yourself as a 'killer.'"

"That's what I am, Clint! Manslaughter doesn't fix itself! And there's no way to take it back! The scary part isn't just the killings. It's the fact I enjoy it! That I don't care!"

"We've all killed before. You of all people should realize that."

"Not of that severity! I wish the Virus would just take me already."

"So, you don't know when you'll kick the bucket."

"Exactly. For all I know, I won't wake up in the morning."

"Then push aside all those feelings. I know you allow anger and hatred and not much else, so the next best thing is to suppress them. Sense that's the case, we better make tonight count."

Clint pulls my face closer to his. I instinctively pull away, my normal self screaming at me to pull away. _This is the kind of thing that can get you killed. _But a small part says yes. _Let yourself experience happiness. This could be the start of the life you've always wanted._ I resign to it. What starts out as a shy, awkward kiss quickly becomes more passionate. The shy lip-locking quickly turns to a full-out sex session. Hours pass. My eyelids flutter open, moving slower at the bright light. It has to be at least 10 am according to the position of the ball of fire. Finally able to see past the sun, I take in my surroundings. We still lay on the cool stone balcony. My head rests on Clint's shoulder. His arm wraps protectively around my waist. My jacket hangs off the side, fluttering in the wind. The zipper running along from my neck to my hips is undone. Nestling closer, enjoying the warmth of his bare chest, I let him sleep a while longer. Everybody needs to be at their strongest today. When I feel enough time passes, I gently poke him while whispering, "Time to wake up. We can't stay out here forever."

He rolls over, still half asleep. "Mornin'," he groans.

"Come on, up you go." I tug him to his feet. "We need to get ready."

"Last night was definitely worthwhile."

Nodding in agreement, I zip up my suit and retrieve my jacket. Then I push open the glass doors. Some give us puzzled glances, but my only response is waving them downstairs. We do some last minute prep. When everything is accounted for, the teleporters transport us to the outskirts of Genosha. "Remember, stick to the plan," I remind them.

Those in charge of the security leave. People who can move fast enough take out the guards on the outer perimeter. I instruct Mystery to keep the others hidden just inside the gates for as long as possible or until I give the signal. Whichever comes first. Grabbing Clint and Mimicry, I move us to a guard room without being detected. Clint keeps a lookout for any lone guards, Mimicry gets herself acquainted with the security grid, and I take a look around outside a window. There are three outer rims of guards. Gypsy sneaks past the outermost corridor. She agilely leaps between the poles with her speed and takes down a guard with a well-aimed kick.

"Ha!" she mouths, moving on.

Dead Speed takes the next layer. He zooms past, steals a gun, and shoots them down one by one. I'm not worried about him being shot at. Diego has a regeneration power. Almost nothing can kill him. That particular power has me questioning parts of his life. On the innermost layer, Dark Flame keeps herself hidden in the shadows. When the guard is distracted, she strikes. Each body falls to the ground, slightly pale from her powers. She hovers over top, her face a cross between victorious and zealous. I know she drains other people's energy to make up for her lack of it, but afterwards she's demented. There is no alternative way to put it.

"I think I can do this!" Mimicry whisper shouts, disturbing me.

Before I can give her further instructions, a piercing scream rings through the air. A sound of gunfire come next, then sounds of power usage. _God, no,_ I think, full of dread. _We've been found._ "I have to go!" I cry, shoving my way past Hawkeye, almost getting speared with an arrow flying past.

"You can't!" he yells, just as distressed as me. "You're too valuable. Stay here, I'll go."

"I don't care if I'm valuable, I'm going!"

"No you're not. Without you this whole thing is doomed. Stay hidden."

"Like hell," I grumble, completely pissed but obeying. He bolts off, an arrow ready to go. I sadly watch him leave. His words are true, no matter how much I deny it. Our group needs me to stand a chance. More screams echo off the walls. Bright flashes illuminate the stones. Soldiers run by not far away. Some come towards us once they notice the door hanging off its hinges. To distract them, I make a hologram of Mimicry run away. They follow it, but the illusion starts acting funny. It runs in circles; then it explodes. Great. "Amanda, quicker! The others are getting attacked. I'll shield you as long as I can!"

"I can only work so fast," she mutters. She still moves closer to the machine when I create a protective dome around us.

The dome shrinks. I strain to keep it up, but Amanda encounters a problem. "Just smash the damn thing!" I yell in frustration and pain. "You got what you needed!" Heeding my advice, Amanda picks up the gun of a fallen soldier and blasts it to pieces. "Finally!" I exclaim, running to join the battle. Even after such little time, bodies of our allies litter the ground. Among them are Mystery, White Tiger, Felecia, and Christmas Miracle. Blood gushes out of Mystery's head, White Tiger has a missing leg, Felecia's eyes stare blankly at the sunny sky, and Christmas Miracle seems to been strangled with her own ribbon. Secretly their deaths faze me, but I give no outward indication.

In the time that it takes me to look around, Translator is gunned down. Dynamite struggles to free herself from a net. Unable to stand the sight of a child in pain, I make a pair of scissors cut her free. I join the fight, my determination fueled by anger. This was going to be bloody-how could it not? But I convinced myself that no one would die. Reality hits me hard. All at once, it becomes harder to breathe. Any constructs I made are dimming and flickering. I have to make my way to Magneto before I become powerless. If that doesn't happen, this was a wasted attempt. "Hawkeye!" I yell. "Hawkeye!"

"What is it, Nikki?" He runs over to me and crouches down so we can look each other in the eye.

"I'm sorry about leaving you to fight Polaris and Quicksilver alone. My time is almost up. I need to get to Magneto pronto. When the opportunity arises, go after the Scarlet Witch. I'll hold him off as lo-" Clint shuts me up with a kiss.

"You always did talk too much," he grins. Clint pulls me to my feet and presses a small medallion into my hand. "I wanted to give you this when we lived in a democracy, but seeing how you might not survive…"

"Thank you, Clint. I'll walk away from this. Promise."

"I'll hold you up to that," he whispers, wiping away a stray tear. Somehow it found a way around my defenses.

_This is no time to be distracted. Pretend Clint never came. Focus, Nikki, focus._ I creep out of the courtyard extremely slowly, trying not to fall over. Magneto is probably near the middle. That's my destination. Watching my teammates fight for their lives awakes an old bloodthirsty me. It's all I can do to stop myself from murdering all their assailants. All this training, all this formulation, all of it is wasted. I reach the center. Before I can stand upright, a scalding blast of fire pushes me to my knees.

"Well well well, the Calvary has come," a voice laughs.

"She doesn't seem very strong, sir. Maybe we should wait for somebody to rescue her," another unknown voice contradicts. This one sounds female.

"And risk it being your daughter or husband? Trust me; this one has enough fight left in her."

Those voices…I know them. "Magneto? Rebecca?" I squeak.

"Yes, Illusion. Or may I call you Nikki?" Magneto asks.

I manage to pull myself to my knees. "Erik, this needs to stop now. Humans have as much a right to live as you and I." Damn, it feels good to say that aloud.

"Oh, I know. But you need to see it from a true mutant's perspective. You've been tainted by the humans, especially the fool you have chosen to recreate with."

The medallion Hawkeye gave me lies on the floor a couple inches away. I extend my arm. When my hand is right next to it, Erik stomps on my fingers. I gasp in pain.

"Rebecca, can you identify this?" He tosses the metal circle to Flame.

She inspects it, memorizing every indentation. "Made long ago, origins unknown, first given to Apocalypse's wife as a marriage gift. Disappeared for many years. I have no idea how Illusion came into possession of it."

_So Hawkeye intended it to be a symbol of future matrimony? He must be ready to take our relationship to the next level._ "It was a present. Our group has more ties than you know about. Little miss traitor here mustn't have noticed."

"I only told her to report your numbers, strategies, and your declining health."

"Yeah, um, about that…" Another scream, louder than the rest, rings through the air. It sounds suspiciously like Dark Flame. A second one, coming from Baton, follows. I can picture what's happening now. Dead Speed and Dark Force are clobbering Bella's assailants. Dancecraze is beating Baton's attacker to death. Any withdrawals about killing are now completely gone. "You may defeat us, but there will be more. Queen Angelica inspired all of Europe. Ororo of Wakanda, Jalelou of Latveria, and countless others. Eventually someone will succeed."

Rebecca shoots more flames at me. They burn hotter and brighter as she sucks more energy from my dying cells. "May I tend to my daughter?"

Magneto nods. "Maybe I was wrong about you," he sneers, glaring at me.

My sprawled position on the floor is a sign of weakness, I know. Faking strength, but not anger, I snarl, "And to think you used to have some compassion. Correct me if I'm wrong: you made sure I was exposed to a fully developed sample of the Legacy Virus. You made sure Elixir couldn't do a thing to save me. The only question is why you did it before I left."

"It came to my attention something along the lines of your departure would occur. Your strong personality just guarantees that. Now, here's a surprise, just for you…" He snaps his fingers and Quicksilver drags Clint in by the scruff of his neck.

"Hawkeye!" I exclaim, desperately trying to stand up. Unable to, I settle with staying on my knees. My breath becomes more haggard. Sweat cascades down my face. Blood pours from scratches and old wounds I thought were healed.

"Nikki! What are you doing to her? Let me go!" Clint struggles to break free of Pietro's iron grip. Quicksilver just laughs and holds his wrists tighter.

Under other circumstances, I would assure him that everything will be all right, but that'd be a lie. Before I can even say anything, the air around me turns into a mini lightshow. Faint, weak holograms run around for a few seconds, then vanish. Normally I channel my powers through my hands, but now my whole body has control. This can only mean one thing.

"Any last words before your precious powers terminate you?"

"Oh do I ever." Choosing to keep most of the choice words to myself, I keep it simple. "Fuck you," I say to Magneto, full of satisfaction. One would guess that someone standing in the face of death would be terrified. That's not completely true. If you die to give a loved one a second chance, or if you knew you were going to all along, the prospect is not as bad. It's like accepting it as a fact of life. So when the lights around my body brighten, I swallow what fear I have. "I love you, Hawkeye. I'm sorry I never admitted it before now. Goodbye," I whisper, just loud enough for him to hear.

"I love you too, Nikki. More than life itself," Clint says, his voice full of emotion.

As my powers tear my body apart, I wince. A strange feeling washes over me. _Déjà vu? Again? This is really weird._ And then the world burns white…


	5. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

The Scarlet Witch destroyed life as we know it when she snapped and created the alternate dimension known as the House of M. Every mutant was granted their greatest wish so Wanda could have hers. Humans were made out to be scum; the lowest society had to offer. With all his memories of his previous life gone, Thomas wandered the continental United States until he joined Melody and Grace Millary's human resistance group. He stayed there for months before Illusion showed up. He did not know that the unique and commanding young mutant was his 23-year-old daughter Nikki Storm. Thomas participated in and survived the rebellion against the army of Genoshians. At the flash of light, he returned to his old life of waiting for the right moment to tell Nikki the long unrevealed truth.

Clint "Hawkeye" Barton joined Luke Cage's rebel group when he heard of their reasons. He has saved their skins from Sentinel attacks on numerous occasions. His heart was entirely dedicated to the cause for years. All that changed when Illusion joined the group. She was beautiful, talented, and smart. Hawkeye fell for her immediately, flirting with her every minute of the day. He wanted her to life a happy life with him, raising the family he always wanted and growing old together. Even when he learned her life was threatened by the unforgiving Legacy Virus, his dreams persisted. Shortly before the final battle, he shared his feelings with Illusion, and they acted upon them. Previous to her final stand against Magneto, he gave her a precious medallion, planning on asking her to marry him after the fight. However, he accepted her death bravely and with a straight-face, putting her mind at ease.

Nikki Janice Storm's mind was so powerful some of her old self was apparent through the memory loss. Parts of her shone through, such as her leaving the Red Guard to help humans. Nikki caught the mutant police's attention, so they hired her and taught her their ways. But she could not live by their idealistic, so when her training was complete, she left and worked with Homo sapiens. Her uniform gave away her former position, so most groups were cold and distant when she was around. Finding that Luke Cage's group was open and not hostile to her, she frequently visited them. They appreciated her assistance and company. When the time came to prepare for their attack on Genosha, Hawkeye shared his romantic emotions with her. Illusion gladly returned them, enjoying true love for the first time. With her old memories, she was able to plan appropriately and make their escapade foolproof. During her final confrontation with the master of magnetism, everything was explained, such as how she contracted the Legacy Virus and the Scarlet Witch's breakdown. Nikki died a hero, but sadly, not before she could witness her friend's triumph.

Many other heroes encountered Illusion. Some of the most prominent were Dancecraze, Baton, Wolverine, Black Cat, Luke Cage, Cloak, Emma Frost, and Plantress. Each played an important role in the takedown of Magneto's army. Sadly, most were killed or about to be when the white light burned again. Though only a small percentage of mutants remember their time spent in House of M, those who do honor the memories of all those who helped Nikki bring down the evil dictator once and for all.


End file.
